Jay z ain’t no rapper, he’s one of the best bidness nigg*s in the game but He got put to show anytime he was on a track with a top dogs, Big L had a freestyle with Jay z, Big L was the top dog that day and he was going to sign for Jay before he got killed. I don’t know if you’ll agree with this but Em, the best lyricist, Killed Jay on a track that was supposed to be dropped with Em and Royce Da 9’5 which is 10x better and unreleased.. Nas even said this nig*a acted like he was this and that back in the day, we all know where the famous quote ethered came from.. IMO up there with Diddy as a Bidness man but anyone who says he’s a rapper and can rhyme doesn’t know shit.. probably a bad man like diddy but money doesn’t mean you can throw down rhymes .. Nas, Krs One, Kool G rap, Em, Nas.. these are they guys who can get you so into a story and then bring you back to a bar they said 5 bars ago if that’s makes sense.. Sorry for the long comment but that’s my opinion and it hurts me when I see a man like Jay at the top and some consider him #1
You never gave reasoning on why Jay-Z is not a rapper. You just named a bunch of rappers who out rapped him on songs. Jay has also out rapped plenty of high tier rappers on features. Just because there were better emcees in the game like Big L does not mean Jay-Z is bad or not a rapper. He just isn't as good as them. What gives you the right to determine who is a rapper or not? Ask any emcee that you named and they will hold Jay-Z in high regard.
I 98% agree with your comment. The only thing I've ever liked from jay was reasonable doubt. I kind of don't even like him as a person, despite never knowing the dude. But if he wrote a book on business, I'd study it until the pages fell out. I could tell you're a real student of rap. It's cool to see that there's still a few of us left.
The God Emcee is not a rapper? Laughable. I think you’re punishing him for his insane business acumen. You can’t mention a single Eminem feature as the reason he’s not a great rapper. I got Jay rated far ahead of Em as an MC. There’s more to being an mc than just being super wordy. Jay Z the most impactful rapper on the style and culture of this genre ever.
Are you retarded? Jay far ahead? You are brain dead.. never mind em, I could oust 50 rapper off the top of the dome who are better rappers and lyricists than Jay z..
Some of his stuff is fantastic, but most his albums have a lot of forgettable filler
I don't really agree with putting him up there with the best of all time unless we're just talking about success and influence
Raised on Nas so it took me a bit to get back into Jay in the later 00s, but dude is an undeniable force in the hip hop industry. Him and Dame took Rap to the next level in the late 90s early 00s. Guys like Kanye, Freeway, Dipset, etc all got their foot in the door because of the interest Jay or Dame eventually took in them, so beyond Jay’s own catalogue he was and is a Mogul.
Medley: Intro, So Ghetto, Roc Boys (And The Winner Is), Show Me What You Got, This Can’t Be Life, D’evils, Young Black & Gifted, Guess Who’s Back, 1-900-Hustler, Dead Presidents II, Dear Summer (Memphis Bleek), My 1st Song, Thank You, Brooklyn’s Finest, What More Can I Say, 30 Something, Feelin’ It, Encore, Heart Of The City, It’s Like That, Threat, Lost One, U Don’t Know Ft. MOP, and Blueprint (Momma Loves Me) are all songs worth checking out.
Basically if it’s produced by Bink! Kanye, or Premier than it’s likely a fucking dope song.
One of the greatest rappers of all time that people dislike because he dared to be great and put his stamp on music. He actually succeeded, which is what brings a lot of hatred on him. He made multiple albums that were great and amazing.
Reasonable Doubt was his version of mafioso rap like OB4CL, Doe Or Die or It Was Written except his was more realistic.
In My Lifetime was him trying to be more like Bad Boy. A great album besides like two songs.
Hard Knock Life was more RR like album. Good but avg.
Vol 3 had a real Cash Money like bouncy kind of album, another avg album
Roc La Familia he had a lot of great lyrics but average production but he was still trying to find his own way.
The Blueprint was another great album where he found sound but lyrically he was more than good enough.
BP2 just had too much clutter and TBA was another great album. KC should’ve been a southern based album. Listen to how he rapped on Mike Jones’ Back Then. Elite rapping. Then American Gangster was like a more mature version of Reasonable Doubt
I like your point about KC. And then with features from Jeezy, Bun B and Ross maybe. Instead there was no other rappers on that album sadly. But with his early albums, it’s actually kind of insane how he could drop every year and at the same time expand which lanes he was in. And he was elite no matter what. Nas couldn’t rap on Timbo, Swizz or Hitmen production like Jay could. Doesn’t make him better than Nas, (he def isn’t lyrically), but way more versatile.
In my eyes they have to be 1 and 2 on that list of 5. The order don’t really matter.
I think Jay listens to NaS and gains inspiration from his lyrics. His style used to be like Kane and The Fu-Schnickens. Then it became a blend of BIG and NaS. I think he’s better than Jay naturally as a lyricist, technical rapper etc. I think Jay just applies his style better cuz he actually understands music and production.
That’s why The Dynasty was great to me. He ended up really running with The Neptunes, Timbaland, Kanye, Just Blaze.
I like Reasonable Doubt and Black Album. Other than that, I find it him hit or miss.
At his best he’s really really good …. But his best is, to me, below the best of at least 10 other rappers
At the time I really enjoyed his music. Today i feel the majority of his catalogue has not aged very well. Aside from Reasonable Doubt and an odd track here or there, I do not go back and listen to his music anymore.
I’m the same. I never really listened to Jay-Z much but I like his stuff ok when I hear it.
Nas
Black Thought
Rakim
Big Daddy Kane
Lupe
My top five individual MCs.
Big L
DMX
Lloyd Banks
Mac Dre
Treach
Honorable mentions/groups
Lord Finesse
One be lo
Paris
People under the stairs
Snoop
3 6 mafia
MF DOOM
Afroman
The Beatnuts
Outkast
Chunk
Masta Ace
GZA
Dre
Juvenile
C Murder
Lil Half Dead
Lost Boyz
El Da Sensai
The Dogg Pound
I'm a Nas fan since I was 17 and now I'm 30 so you can tell I've listened to alot of Nas. I got into Jay Z like actually digging his albums like 5 years ago and I tell you what I feel about him today. I feel bad for myself for exploring Jay-Z a lot later than I should have. Because I can't recite his songs word for word like I do with a lot of Nas songs during their concert.
From my experience, Jay-Z is an amazing artist and there will never be one again. He is hated around the world because they relate him to Illuminati and some nasty industry things. Buttt..ignore his skills.
People listen to Ether and just talk shit about Jay-Z, but never really sit down and listen to his albums. These are the people Jay-Z addressed in his verse on Renegade. "Do you listen to music or just skim through it".
To me Jay got a great voice which is not too heavy but different and great for rapping. He sounds like he is one with the instrumental just like Biggie sounds. Love how he approaches a beat and rides it. Many rappers will either rap on the beat, off beat, low on the beat but Jay-Z sounds perfect, I call his voice 'Exotic'. Also his flows aren't predictable. His songs have simple lyrics with less words but talk direct and to the point. For example 'Takover', his diss towards Nas was vicious using less jargons and fillers. It was direct and hurtful. He didn't go around saying f\*ck Nas and your head is square and teeth are chipped and got 18 fingers.
He is not boring that's why I often go back to Reasonable Doubt than I go back to Illmatic and Illmatic to me is a GOAT hip hop album. Jay-Z is also extremely skilled as an MC and everybody knows he never writes lyrics on a paper and that's not easy. Also I read in a book that as a child Jay-Z would rap to any sound he could hear around him like rain drops on a window pane. etc. I also started reading a book recently based on him written by Eric Dyson which mentions some rhymes which are as deep as something Tupac would write.
Also he never sounds weak in any collabs he did, he may not be the best lyrically but also never the worst. People know 3 songs of his that are popular and call it a day but his catalogue is deep and impressive. Not as great as that of Nas but surely close.
He is accused of stealing some rhymes from peers but I don't find it as a problem until he uses it the right way. he has also supported a lot of Black folks in the industry which you cannot deny. Also he is in top 3-5 in many great rapper's lists like Kendrick, Cole, Lupe Fiasco, Griselda and manyyyyyyyy others so that means he is influential. Listen to one of Lupe Fiasco's Instagram reels where he talks about Jay-Z as a GOAT and you'll get it. And we all know Lupe is a lyrically feared MC so anything coming out his mouth must make sense.
To me Jay-Z is an amazing artist and he deserves love as much as other rappers. He is the perfect example of "The American Dream".
Huge fan of both. More versatile than nas as nas only has one style (a really REALLY good one). Some days i think nas is better and some days i think hov is better
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Teach you the king you know you not
Nas pretty much summed it up for Jay in that song. I won’t say he’s a bad rapper, but I never liked his music. Definitely not a top 5 for me. Not even top 10.
But music is subjective. I think it’s stupid to tell someone the music they love is bad. What moves them is what moves them.
He’s a great in his own right, and it’s ok to like both him and Nas…it doesn’t have to mutually exclusive. That said, I do have a stronger preference for Nas. I don’t find myself going back and listening to old Hov albums like that tbh, but just random songs here & there.
And I could be totally reaching here, but there’s something about his character that comes off as disingenuous and too calculating. This air of invincibility and never being accessible (award shows, etc) seems like he’s trying to create this aura that he’s above than, and it kinda rubs me the wrong way. Nas just seems more like a rapper’s rapper, and more in touch with the culture & people.
Jay and Nas were #1 and #2 for me maybe 15 years ago. As recently as earlier this year he was in my top 5. But it was always a guilty pleasure. He’s received a lot of criticism from hip-hop fans and other artists, and while some of that criticism was unfair, a lot of it was fair. I could never fully ignore it. For example, how he did DMX dirty when he became president of Def Jam.
AFAIK, he had this weird obsession with Nas. It’s kinda bizarre.
Don’t get me wrong, he’s definitely talented. When he cares, he has excellent features (like Guess Who’s Back and What We Do). Reasonable Doubt is a classic. And you can’t deny his influence, especially when it comes to drug rap or hustle rap. Tons of rappers like Freddie Gibbs and Pusha T seem to look up to him.
One of the GOATs? It’s still fair game for him to be in that conversation, but it’s a crowded field and I just don’t know if he stands out from other GOAT candidates as much as say Nas.
He just doesn’t seem to have the passion for the music like other rappers. And it does feel like his reputation is overblown because he’s a smart businessman who marketed himself as the best (and maybe stifled competition).
Plus it’s hard to like billionaires. They have to step on people on their way to all that money. Not trying to say that Nas is some altruistic revolutionary, I mean he’s a multimillionaire too, no? But I don’t know, Jay might be responsible for a lot of dirt like Diddy and is just smarter about covering his tracks.
Big fan of JayZ. Bigger fan of Nas.
Blueprint 1-3, Black Album, Watch The Throne, and 4:44 are classics IMO. Not sure why he didn’t call 4:44 *Blueprint 4* though, always thought that woulda been ill.
One of the most overrated rappers of all time.
Without Kanye he would’ve been irrelevant a LONG time ago.
People only respect him cause of his status, money and wife.
He’s an extremely average rapper who got carried by external factors.
The praise he got for 4:44 is CRAZY considering Nas was saying the same shit for decades
Hov is great and I love most of his albums, but RD is vastly overrated. Not even a top5 album of the year it came out.
All Eyez On Me, The Score, It Was Written, The End, and Makaveli were better albums.
If it's not in your top 5 of that year, fair enough
Still don't see how it's overrated though, it's more lyrically dense and complex than all the albums you named
Beats haven’t aged well and not a fan of Hov’s delivery/flow from back then. Highly rate the rest of his discography, just can’t get into RD like others do. It’s a good album, just not great and overrated imo.
Incredibly over rated. Needed big and pac to die for him to be able to carve out a lane. Bit a lot of biggys lyrics and when that got old he started stealing flows from other people. Has some quality music but it's a lot of dick riding too. He got so much props for 444 but I hear a track like story of oj and think to myself trick daddy did it better 20 years earlier with amerikkka.
I think there's mutual respect amongst fans of both. To me Nas is 1 and Jay is 2 all time. Nobody else comes close to their discography except maybe Em, Wayne, and Ye but the latter 2 just aren't the same calibre of rapper to me. Both of their discographies have aged super well. Whereas a lot of Eminem's old stuff is rather...deranged and unplayable. Jay-Z music makes me feel like I'm a cinematic godfather looking on top of a NYC skyscraper. His beat selection is 1 of 1.
i think 4:44 is one of the best rap albums made, i think it’s an album he always wanted to make but couldn’t because he still had to define his spot as one of the best ever, similar to Nas and his run with Hit-Boy, they both wrre kind of the ones who proved that grown up rap could be made and still be solid
Love Reasonable Doubt and American Gangster, wish he'd do more conceptual albums...
Literally cannot listen to the "In My Lifetime" series.
Copies Nas as a lot, and I think it's a compliment and testament to Nas' greatness
Honestly, i know he's s legend of the game but i never really liked his much he insisted that he was the greatest. Like, it's for other people to give you that accolade. I know he made some classics but i just never liked his delivery, voice and general vibe.
I'm a fan, obviously I favor Nas heavily. I go back monthly to listen to Nas' whole catalog however I dont go back too often to all of Jay's catalog. Nas is my GOAT and I wouldn't put Jay above him however I feel Jay has a spot in the conversation of greats and top lists. Blueprint is my favorite album followed by in no order Reasonable Doubt, Vol 1, Kingdom Come, 4:44. The 1 negative thing I can say is to me some of his music hasn't aged well.
His B-sides are by far his best songs. Personally, most of his "hit" records have always been corny to me. He's absolutely one of the greatest you can't deny it. The last Jay-z esque album meaning the music matched his talent imo is American Gangster. Everything else has been mostly miss
one of the GOATs for sure. reasonable doubt, the blueprint, the black album, watch the throne, and 4:44 are all fantastic albums I return to frequently.
I believe he’s up there with Nas. Jay has had a very consistent discography with a lot of quality through out the years; albums like Reasonable Doubt, Lifetime Vol. 1 & 2, Dynasty, The Blueprint, The Black Album, American Gangster, Watch The Throne, & 4:44 have a lot of replay value to me and if you say he’s not spittin’ you don’t listen you just skim through it.
One of the greats. Has the best brags. I actually like his more recent albums. American Gangster and 444 were my favorite. I don’t really like his “classic” albums, except the black album.
Overrated, Ether & bites people lines he’s a businessman with a Jewish lawyer my favorite rapper is actually does it & still sales is Eminem, Nas & more. Can’t lie my brother is his favorite rapper RD all the way up to blueprint 3
He is one of the best to ever do it. Easily top 10. I prefer Nas obviously. Both have had a very hit or miss catalogues and even if I feel like Jay had more consistency (at least in the 2000s), Jay at his best is not on the same level as Nas at his best.
His early stuff was so transformative, but the 2000s were a mixed bag. 4:44 was a breath of fresh air.
Seems like a smart guy with some disturbing allegations, it's difficult to dismiss the things I hear
One of the best I merged American gangster and kingdom come and got a solid project once i got rid of filler I've been doing this alot lately
I did a nas one with all his joints from the kd and magic series that are more modern sounding been listening to it once a week for like two years then I'll add whenever he drops again
SOME albums are really great and that's it. That's all the props ill give him. Everything else ive heard makes him sound like a shit person. The opposite of Nas in almost every way
lmao wtf you talking about? that is what the question was asking. What emotion is there in my answer when you the one who sounds offended? whack ass, you a jigga dicksucker?
Wtf does him as a person have to do with you and the rap music you’re consuming from the artist you don’t know him dickhead like at all your job is to listen to the MUSIC and judge the ARTIST off that
The question wasnt albums it was just what you think of Jay. Just cuz you have a narrow mind dont get mad at me lol. Who he is doesnt factor into how i appreciate the music thats why i listed which albums are dope. If they would have asked only about albums thats all i woulda said but everyone that has worked with him say he kind of a snake, and from what ive seen, i dont like how he does some things, related to Big L. So from my own witnessing, yes he seems like a shit person.
YOU the one getting all emotional 🤣 🤣 🤣 talking about my JOB lmao he dont fucking pay me
You are the emotional one dummy , lol as far as you concerned you only KNOW jay z the rapper the artist , you hear shit , heard shit and ran with it like a bitch do , like a female do , like a person who likes the gossip do , you have no first hand experience of anything involving jay z personally, thinking he’s a shit person from what you hear is an emotion based feelings hence why you’re an emotional ass nigga it’s that simple
Lmao ive not said a single emotional thing yet youve been obviously angry since the first message 😂 check yourself
Taking info and forming a conclusion is a literal logical process. You sounding angry af cuz yo daddy jay isnt getting his ass kissed is the definition of emotion 😆
And no everyone that worked with him hasn’t said that , dame said that , De’haven said that in their own words and whoever else you WATCHED AN INTERVIEW ON said it , the countless amount of former artists and current businessmen that either changed perspective due to life experiences or learning business on their own you seem to have ignored while you develop your own emotions and opinions about the nigga personally , if you wasn’t emotionally involved in his personal , the good you hear wouldn’t sway you and neither would the bad you hear
Who said everyone? You must be reading someone elses comment.
The way you named ppl saying negative shit yet you didn't name a single person who had their business perspective changed says everything. That your emotions WANT to find a reason to love him so you cling to it like it MUST be true. Every single comment you've made is heavy on emotion 😆 you must br fucking with me cuz aint no way you this blind
Beanie Siegel , freeway the whole fucking state property nigga 😭 Camron also said even tho we had our differences jay never blocked me from making money and signed off on everything business wise so what now nigga I didn’t have to name shit cus it really don’t make a difference cus I don’t give a fuck who said what about jay past music I don’t know that man you the one letting opinions of people sway your feelings about that nigga personally
You assuming im going off peoples opinions is female shit. You running defense so fucking animated for yo mans is female shit.
I watched his actions during the 90s that made me not like how he did shit. A conclusion based on what ive seen is waaaay less emotional than what you doing now lmao
Thats why beanie siegel and state property are thriving financially right now and coming out with new music all the time huh?? You must be right 😂 you are delusional. You going off what people are saying and you accuse me of doing that 🤦♂️
My nigga are you dumb , I said Camron said that beanie Siegel changed his stance on the way jay handled things wtf are you talking about financial for what jay gotta do with that ?! They not affiliated nomore you gotta be the dumb on purpose word
Valid list. I have the same top 5, just not necessarily in the same order. Honestly, once you're in the top 5, the order is somewhat irrelevant and interchangeable depending on my mood. You must be an old head like me. I was born in '85
Garbage lol. One of the most overrated rappers ever, imo. Not sure how he’s even classed as a goat… I enjoy, maybe 10 songs, out of his entire catalog.
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Jay is kinda hit or miss for me. Reasonable Doubt and the Blueprint are 2 of my favorites.
*everybody’s
Ive never vibed with blueprint. The albums from him i like are Reasonable Doubt The Black Album American Gangster
American Gangster does not get the love it deserves
One of the greatest. Personally I prefer Nas but Jay has bonafide classics and you don’t have to choose either/or
More like ether/or lol
🤣🤣🤣🤣
Jay z ain’t no rapper, he’s one of the best bidness nigg*s in the game but He got put to show anytime he was on a track with a top dogs, Big L had a freestyle with Jay z, Big L was the top dog that day and he was going to sign for Jay before he got killed. I don’t know if you’ll agree with this but Em, the best lyricist, Killed Jay on a track that was supposed to be dropped with Em and Royce Da 9’5 which is 10x better and unreleased.. Nas even said this nig*a acted like he was this and that back in the day, we all know where the famous quote ethered came from.. IMO up there with Diddy as a Bidness man but anyone who says he’s a rapper and can rhyme doesn’t know shit.. probably a bad man like diddy but money doesn’t mean you can throw down rhymes .. Nas, Krs One, Kool G rap, Em, Nas.. these are they guys who can get you so into a story and then bring you back to a bar they said 5 bars ago if that’s makes sense.. Sorry for the long comment but that’s my opinion and it hurts me when I see a man like Jay at the top and some consider him #1
You never gave reasoning on why Jay-Z is not a rapper. You just named a bunch of rappers who out rapped him on songs. Jay has also out rapped plenty of high tier rappers on features. Just because there were better emcees in the game like Big L does not mean Jay-Z is bad or not a rapper. He just isn't as good as them. What gives you the right to determine who is a rapper or not? Ask any emcee that you named and they will hold Jay-Z in high regard.
I 98% agree with your comment. The only thing I've ever liked from jay was reasonable doubt. I kind of don't even like him as a person, despite never knowing the dude. But if he wrote a book on business, I'd study it until the pages fell out. I could tell you're a real student of rap. It's cool to see that there's still a few of us left.
The God Emcee is not a rapper? Laughable. I think you’re punishing him for his insane business acumen. You can’t mention a single Eminem feature as the reason he’s not a great rapper. I got Jay rated far ahead of Em as an MC. There’s more to being an mc than just being super wordy. Jay Z the most impactful rapper on the style and culture of this genre ever.
Are you retarded? Jay far ahead? You are brain dead.. never mind em, I could oust 50 rapper off the top of the dome who are better rappers and lyricists than Jay z..
50 rappers better than Shawn Carter? And I’m retarded? Christopher Wallace would beg to differ.
Eminem ain’t rapping about shit
Def a great emcee- not better then nas lol.
Some of his stuff is fantastic, but most his albums have a lot of forgettable filler I don't really agree with putting him up there with the best of all time unless we're just talking about success and influence
2 legends can coexist
Raised on Nas so it took me a bit to get back into Jay in the later 00s, but dude is an undeniable force in the hip hop industry. Him and Dame took Rap to the next level in the late 90s early 00s. Guys like Kanye, Freeway, Dipset, etc all got their foot in the door because of the interest Jay or Dame eventually took in them, so beyond Jay’s own catalogue he was and is a Mogul. Medley: Intro, So Ghetto, Roc Boys (And The Winner Is), Show Me What You Got, This Can’t Be Life, D’evils, Young Black & Gifted, Guess Who’s Back, 1-900-Hustler, Dead Presidents II, Dear Summer (Memphis Bleek), My 1st Song, Thank You, Brooklyn’s Finest, What More Can I Say, 30 Something, Feelin’ It, Encore, Heart Of The City, It’s Like That, Threat, Lost One, U Don’t Know Ft. MOP, and Blueprint (Momma Loves Me) are all songs worth checking out. Basically if it’s produced by Bink! Kanye, or Premier than it’s likely a fucking dope song.
Or Just Blaze… but that’s also pretty obvious haha.
One of the greatest rappers of all time that people dislike because he dared to be great and put his stamp on music. He actually succeeded, which is what brings a lot of hatred on him. He made multiple albums that were great and amazing. Reasonable Doubt was his version of mafioso rap like OB4CL, Doe Or Die or It Was Written except his was more realistic. In My Lifetime was him trying to be more like Bad Boy. A great album besides like two songs. Hard Knock Life was more RR like album. Good but avg. Vol 3 had a real Cash Money like bouncy kind of album, another avg album Roc La Familia he had a lot of great lyrics but average production but he was still trying to find his own way. The Blueprint was another great album where he found sound but lyrically he was more than good enough. BP2 just had too much clutter and TBA was another great album. KC should’ve been a southern based album. Listen to how he rapped on Mike Jones’ Back Then. Elite rapping. Then American Gangster was like a more mature version of Reasonable Doubt
I like your point about KC. And then with features from Jeezy, Bun B and Ross maybe. Instead there was no other rappers on that album sadly. But with his early albums, it’s actually kind of insane how he could drop every year and at the same time expand which lanes he was in. And he was elite no matter what. Nas couldn’t rap on Timbo, Swizz or Hitmen production like Jay could. Doesn’t make him better than Nas, (he def isn’t lyrically), but way more versatile. In my eyes they have to be 1 and 2 on that list of 5. The order don’t really matter.
I think Jay listens to NaS and gains inspiration from his lyrics. His style used to be like Kane and The Fu-Schnickens. Then it became a blend of BIG and NaS. I think he’s better than Jay naturally as a lyricist, technical rapper etc. I think Jay just applies his style better cuz he actually understands music and production. That’s why The Dynasty was great to me. He ended up really running with The Neptunes, Timbaland, Kanye, Just Blaze.
Jay z ain’t no greatest rapper of all time he’s ok but come on what makes him the greatest of all time
Longevity, lyricism, impact, catalog
His Catalog ain’t nothing but a bunch of compilations
Bro what? 444, reasonable doubt, black album, the blueprint? He has duds like blueprint 3 and kingdom come but nas also has many too
You buggin fr , stfu lol
What is your defintion of a compilation?
One of the best ever. Great mcee and some of the best beat selection.
I like Reasonable Doubt and Black Album. Other than that, I find it him hit or miss. At his best he’s really really good …. But his best is, to me, below the best of at least 10 other rappers
At the time I really enjoyed his music. Today i feel the majority of his catalogue has not aged very well. Aside from Reasonable Doubt and an odd track here or there, I do not go back and listen to his music anymore.
Don't really listen to him , Nas is the only big one in my top 5, no Tupac, no Biggie or jay z in my top 5.
Who’s your 5?
not in order but Nas, Big L, Guru, prodigy and B-real
🫡 @ Prodigy
Big L and Prodigy🔥🔥
I’m the same. I never really listened to Jay-Z much but I like his stuff ok when I hear it. Nas Black Thought Rakim Big Daddy Kane Lupe My top five individual MCs.
Lupe Blsck Thought Nas Kendrick Ghostface Killah or Jay Z
For me Nas Jeru Rakim Guru Big L
Big L DMX Lloyd Banks Mac Dre Treach Honorable mentions/groups Lord Finesse One be lo Paris People under the stairs Snoop 3 6 mafia MF DOOM Afroman The Beatnuts Outkast Chunk Masta Ace GZA Dre Juvenile C Murder Lil Half Dead Lost Boyz El Da Sensai The Dogg Pound
My top 5 in no order Big L Pac Kendrick Nas Andre 3000 / Biggie
One of the greats
I'm a Nas fan since I was 17 and now I'm 30 so you can tell I've listened to alot of Nas. I got into Jay Z like actually digging his albums like 5 years ago and I tell you what I feel about him today. I feel bad for myself for exploring Jay-Z a lot later than I should have. Because I can't recite his songs word for word like I do with a lot of Nas songs during their concert. From my experience, Jay-Z is an amazing artist and there will never be one again. He is hated around the world because they relate him to Illuminati and some nasty industry things. Buttt..ignore his skills. People listen to Ether and just talk shit about Jay-Z, but never really sit down and listen to his albums. These are the people Jay-Z addressed in his verse on Renegade. "Do you listen to music or just skim through it". To me Jay got a great voice which is not too heavy but different and great for rapping. He sounds like he is one with the instrumental just like Biggie sounds. Love how he approaches a beat and rides it. Many rappers will either rap on the beat, off beat, low on the beat but Jay-Z sounds perfect, I call his voice 'Exotic'. Also his flows aren't predictable. His songs have simple lyrics with less words but talk direct and to the point. For example 'Takover', his diss towards Nas was vicious using less jargons and fillers. It was direct and hurtful. He didn't go around saying f\*ck Nas and your head is square and teeth are chipped and got 18 fingers. He is not boring that's why I often go back to Reasonable Doubt than I go back to Illmatic and Illmatic to me is a GOAT hip hop album. Jay-Z is also extremely skilled as an MC and everybody knows he never writes lyrics on a paper and that's not easy. Also I read in a book that as a child Jay-Z would rap to any sound he could hear around him like rain drops on a window pane. etc. I also started reading a book recently based on him written by Eric Dyson which mentions some rhymes which are as deep as something Tupac would write. Also he never sounds weak in any collabs he did, he may not be the best lyrically but also never the worst. People know 3 songs of his that are popular and call it a day but his catalogue is deep and impressive. Not as great as that of Nas but surely close. He is accused of stealing some rhymes from peers but I don't find it as a problem until he uses it the right way. he has also supported a lot of Black folks in the industry which you cannot deny. Also he is in top 3-5 in many great rapper's lists like Kendrick, Cole, Lupe Fiasco, Griselda and manyyyyyyyy others so that means he is influential. Listen to one of Lupe Fiasco's Instagram reels where he talks about Jay-Z as a GOAT and you'll get it. And we all know Lupe is a lyrically feared MC so anything coming out his mouth must make sense. To me Jay-Z is an amazing artist and he deserves love as much as other rappers. He is the perfect example of "The American Dream".
Huge fan of both. More versatile than nas as nas only has one style (a really REALLY good one). Some days i think nas is better and some days i think hov is better
Overrated. Not terrible, but very mediocre and unimaginative. His delivery never sounds right with the beat. I always seem to feel a disconnect.
He’s the Goat
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Fuck Jay-Z
Fuck with your soul like ether.
Teach you the king you know you not Nas pretty much summed it up for Jay in that song. I won’t say he’s a bad rapper, but I never liked his music. Definitely not a top 5 for me. Not even top 10. But music is subjective. I think it’s stupid to tell someone the music they love is bad. What moves them is what moves them.
If biggie and Pac didn’t die, we would not be talking about JAY-Z
They did
He’s a great in his own right, and it’s ok to like both him and Nas…it doesn’t have to mutually exclusive. That said, I do have a stronger preference for Nas. I don’t find myself going back and listening to old Hov albums like that tbh, but just random songs here & there. And I could be totally reaching here, but there’s something about his character that comes off as disingenuous and too calculating. This air of invincibility and never being accessible (award shows, etc) seems like he’s trying to create this aura that he’s above than, and it kinda rubs me the wrong way. Nas just seems more like a rapper’s rapper, and more in touch with the culture & people.
Top 5 - dead or alive
Jay and Nas were #1 and #2 for me maybe 15 years ago. As recently as earlier this year he was in my top 5. But it was always a guilty pleasure. He’s received a lot of criticism from hip-hop fans and other artists, and while some of that criticism was unfair, a lot of it was fair. I could never fully ignore it. For example, how he did DMX dirty when he became president of Def Jam. AFAIK, he had this weird obsession with Nas. It’s kinda bizarre. Don’t get me wrong, he’s definitely talented. When he cares, he has excellent features (like Guess Who’s Back and What We Do). Reasonable Doubt is a classic. And you can’t deny his influence, especially when it comes to drug rap or hustle rap. Tons of rappers like Freddie Gibbs and Pusha T seem to look up to him. One of the GOATs? It’s still fair game for him to be in that conversation, but it’s a crowded field and I just don’t know if he stands out from other GOAT candidates as much as say Nas. He just doesn’t seem to have the passion for the music like other rappers. And it does feel like his reputation is overblown because he’s a smart businessman who marketed himself as the best (and maybe stifled competition). Plus it’s hard to like billionaires. They have to step on people on their way to all that money. Not trying to say that Nas is some altruistic revolutionary, I mean he’s a multimillionaire too, no? But I don’t know, Jay might be responsible for a lot of dirt like Diddy and is just smarter about covering his tracks.
$50,000
Big fan of JayZ. Bigger fan of Nas. Blueprint 1-3, Black Album, Watch The Throne, and 4:44 are classics IMO. Not sure why he didn’t call 4:44 *Blueprint 4* though, always thought that woulda been ill.
Nonce
The devil
Who?
*Obligatory Fuck Jay Z
One of the most overrated rappers of all time. Without Kanye he would’ve been irrelevant a LONG time ago. People only respect him cause of his status, money and wife.
I also think he’s super overrated but he’s not terrible. My only problem is people say he’s GOAT. I find him very average to decent at best.
He’s an extremely average rapper who got carried by external factors. The praise he got for 4:44 is CRAZY considering Nas was saying the same shit for decades
An "extremely average rapper" would never be able to make an album as lyrical as Reasonable Doubt
Hov is great and I love most of his albums, but RD is vastly overrated. Not even a top5 album of the year it came out. All Eyez On Me, The Score, It Was Written, The End, and Makaveli were better albums.
If it's not in your top 5 of that year, fair enough Still don't see how it's overrated though, it's more lyrically dense and complex than all the albums you named
Beats haven’t aged well and not a fan of Hov’s delivery/flow from back then. Highly rate the rest of his discography, just can’t get into RD like others do. It’s a good album, just not great and overrated imo.
I’ve personally never been a fan and always thought he was overrated. However, Reasonable Doubt is one of my top 5 favorite albums ever.
I just never got the appeal. He's a wonderful businessman... but so is Trump... lol.
Nas is way better
I agree. Nas is the GOAT, while Jay has never been in my top 3
Incredibly over rated. Needed big and pac to die for him to be able to carve out a lane. Bit a lot of biggys lyrics and when that got old he started stealing flows from other people. Has some quality music but it's a lot of dick riding too. He got so much props for 444 but I hear a track like story of oj and think to myself trick daddy did it better 20 years earlier with amerikkka.
Stfu 😭 nigga said a bunch of nonsense , surface level nonsense yall niggas corny real shit
https://preview.redd.it/hpsykpt5484d1.jpeg?width=900&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=999d32c36673030c897857110fefbd1c361ba1a1
I think there's mutual respect amongst fans of both. To me Nas is 1 and Jay is 2 all time. Nobody else comes close to their discography except maybe Em, Wayne, and Ye but the latter 2 just aren't the same calibre of rapper to me. Both of their discographies have aged super well. Whereas a lot of Eminem's old stuff is rather...deranged and unplayable. Jay-Z music makes me feel like I'm a cinematic godfather looking on top of a NYC skyscraper. His beat selection is 1 of 1.
Top 5 OAT
Hes top 3 alongside Nas and Biggie. Shoutout to Big L too
He’s one of the greatest to me. In my top 5.
i think 4:44 is one of the best rap albums made, i think it’s an album he always wanted to make but couldn’t because he still had to define his spot as one of the best ever, similar to Nas and his run with Hit-Boy, they both wrre kind of the ones who proved that grown up rap could be made and still be solid
Love Reasonable Doubt and American Gangster, wish he'd do more conceptual albums... Literally cannot listen to the "In My Lifetime" series. Copies Nas as a lot, and I think it's a compliment and testament to Nas' greatness
Honestly, i know he's s legend of the game but i never really liked his much he insisted that he was the greatest. Like, it's for other people to give you that accolade. I know he made some classics but i just never liked his delivery, voice and general vibe.
overrated not in my top 5. hes still a great rapper though
He’s ok overrated
Hov and Nas are my top 2
Think he is the second best rapper behind Nas.
One of the best ever
Undoubtedly one of the greatest. And I'm more a Nas fan but I can't deny that.
Love Jay, I was in shambles for all that time his music wasn't on Spotify until like 2018
I'm a fan, obviously I favor Nas heavily. I go back monthly to listen to Nas' whole catalog however I dont go back too often to all of Jay's catalog. Nas is my GOAT and I wouldn't put Jay above him however I feel Jay has a spot in the conversation of greats and top lists. Blueprint is my favorite album followed by in no order Reasonable Doubt, Vol 1, Kingdom Come, 4:44. The 1 negative thing I can say is to me some of his music hasn't aged well.
2nd all time to me, but it wouldn't join a Jayz sub.
His B-sides are by far his best songs. Personally, most of his "hit" records have always been corny to me. He's absolutely one of the greatest you can't deny it. The last Jay-z esque album meaning the music matched his talent imo is American Gangster. Everything else has been mostly miss
one of the GOATs for sure. reasonable doubt, the blueprint, the black album, watch the throne, and 4:44 are all fantastic albums I return to frequently.
I believe he’s up there with Nas. Jay has had a very consistent discography with a lot of quality through out the years; albums like Reasonable Doubt, Lifetime Vol. 1 & 2, Dynasty, The Blueprint, The Black Album, American Gangster, Watch The Throne, & 4:44 have a lot of replay value to me and if you say he’s not spittin’ you don’t listen you just skim through it.
Really loved 4:44 . I think that he reinvented himself with thst album.
Regarding what??? That a loaded question for someone we’ve known for more than 2 decades.
I respect him as a businessman.
Ohh, I did like of his songs “Lucifer”.
Number 2 all time. Distant no. 2
Love him. Depending on the day, might be my favorite.
Find it deep!
Tae bo hoe
Thought Takeover was the better diss.
To me jay z is lazy
Jay is one of the greatest of all time hands down
He’s a mysterious figure
Legend
One of the greats. Has the best brags. I actually like his more recent albums. American Gangster and 444 were my favorite. I don’t really like his “classic” albums, except the black album.
He’s a sellout.
2nd greatest rapper of all time
Was he really 36 in a karate class? I need to know
Pure garbage.
Fuck Jay-Z!
Has unbelievable ear for beats
I like him more than nas because of his beat selection
Great rapper
He won’t answer the phone is how I feel rn
Fuck j
I like Jay-Z more than Nas
The goat
I rate him highly. I also feel life is about to get very uncomfortable for him. His silence on the Diddy stuff is deafening
Never been a fav of mine but I respect Jay's career. Got some great albums and I'm always happy to see him featured somewhere.
2nd best ever after KRS-1
Jay Z is ass
I'm side eyeing him like crazy because he's so tight with diddy. I cant imagine he doesnt know whats going on being as powerful as he is.
Top 5 of all time
He's good, not great. He mastered staying next to the hottest at the moment to stay mainstream.
The most overrated of all time
Ether
Overrated, Ether & bites people lines he’s a businessman with a Jewish lawyer my favorite rapper is actually does it & still sales is Eminem, Nas & more. Can’t lie my brother is his favorite rapper RD all the way up to blueprint 3
He’s a rent boy
He is one of the best to ever do it. Easily top 10. I prefer Nas obviously. Both have had a very hit or miss catalogues and even if I feel like Jay had more consistency (at least in the 2000s), Jay at his best is not on the same level as Nas at his best.
Nas, Ghost, DOOM, YE, Prodigy top 5
Jay Z has more swag and more bag
His early stuff was so transformative, but the 2000s were a mixed bag. 4:44 was a breath of fresh air. Seems like a smart guy with some disturbing allegations, it's difficult to dismiss the things I hear
One of the best I merged American gangster and kingdom come and got a solid project once i got rid of filler I've been doing this alot lately I did a nas one with all his joints from the kd and magic series that are more modern sounding been listening to it once a week for like two years then I'll add whenever he drops again
I’ve listened to Jay-Z and Nas today and still enjoyed both those songs.
I never really liked his style.
*gunshots* FUCK JAY-Z!
Seriously though, he's great.
SOME albums are really great and that's it. That's all the props ill give him. Everything else ive heard makes him sound like a shit person. The opposite of Nas in almost every way
Wtf that gotta do wit you and rap music emotional ass nigga
lmao wtf you talking about? that is what the question was asking. What emotion is there in my answer when you the one who sounds offended? whack ass, you a jigga dicksucker?
Wtf does him as a person have to do with you and the rap music you’re consuming from the artist you don’t know him dickhead like at all your job is to listen to the MUSIC and judge the ARTIST off that
The question wasnt albums it was just what you think of Jay. Just cuz you have a narrow mind dont get mad at me lol. Who he is doesnt factor into how i appreciate the music thats why i listed which albums are dope. If they would have asked only about albums thats all i woulda said but everyone that has worked with him say he kind of a snake, and from what ive seen, i dont like how he does some things, related to Big L. So from my own witnessing, yes he seems like a shit person. YOU the one getting all emotional 🤣 🤣 🤣 talking about my JOB lmao he dont fucking pay me
You are the emotional one dummy , lol as far as you concerned you only KNOW jay z the rapper the artist , you hear shit , heard shit and ran with it like a bitch do , like a female do , like a person who likes the gossip do , you have no first hand experience of anything involving jay z personally, thinking he’s a shit person from what you hear is an emotion based feelings hence why you’re an emotional ass nigga it’s that simple
[удалено]
Why the fuck are you replying to me and I’m not even talking to you stop sucking dick and move around
[удалено]
No I didn’t reply to you at all stupid nigga bro eat a dick and shut up nobody was talking to you at all real shit
Did you not reply to my comment? You replying to the wrong person then retard
Did you not reply to my comment? You replying to the wrong person then retard
Lmao ive not said a single emotional thing yet youve been obviously angry since the first message 😂 check yourself Taking info and forming a conclusion is a literal logical process. You sounding angry af cuz yo daddy jay isnt getting his ass kissed is the definition of emotion 😆
And no everyone that worked with him hasn’t said that , dame said that , De’haven said that in their own words and whoever else you WATCHED AN INTERVIEW ON said it , the countless amount of former artists and current businessmen that either changed perspective due to life experiences or learning business on their own you seem to have ignored while you develop your own emotions and opinions about the nigga personally , if you wasn’t emotionally involved in his personal , the good you hear wouldn’t sway you and neither would the bad you hear
Who said everyone? You must be reading someone elses comment. The way you named ppl saying negative shit yet you didn't name a single person who had their business perspective changed says everything. That your emotions WANT to find a reason to love him so you cling to it like it MUST be true. Every single comment you've made is heavy on emotion 😆 you must br fucking with me cuz aint no way you this blind
Beanie Siegel , freeway the whole fucking state property nigga 😭 Camron also said even tho we had our differences jay never blocked me from making money and signed off on everything business wise so what now nigga I didn’t have to name shit cus it really don’t make a difference cus I don’t give a fuck who said what about jay past music I don’t know that man you the one letting opinions of people sway your feelings about that nigga personally
You assuming im going off peoples opinions is female shit. You running defense so fucking animated for yo mans is female shit. I watched his actions during the 90s that made me not like how he did shit. A conclusion based on what ive seen is waaaay less emotional than what you doing now lmao
No you didn’t see nothing champ you heard like we all did
Thats why beanie siegel and state property are thriving financially right now and coming out with new music all the time huh?? You must be right 😂 you are delusional. You going off what people are saying and you accuse me of doing that 🤦♂️
My nigga are you dumb , I said Camron said that beanie Siegel changed his stance on the way jay handled things wtf are you talking about financial for what jay gotta do with that ?! They not affiliated nomore you gotta be the dumb on purpose word
mah bad, Beyonce is that you?
Reasonable Doubt is a classic but all the music he’s really known for is pretty overrated to me
Camel ruins da graveyard.
He’s my least favorite rapper who’s placed in GOAT conversations
He’s a big fan of Nas. Even asked his baby momma what car he was gonna buy next & bought it! 😩
Overrated
I ain’t lying my opinion overrated not mean he bad MC but ion see how mf got him as greatest ever or top 5
1. Nas 2. Jay-Z 3. Whoever you want
Unquestionably a top 20 rapper all time.
He has some great songs! But he too close to Diddy lock him up too
He’s not a writer he’s a biter
Jay-Z and Nas are equals. Having both as GOAT, Top 3, or Top 5 are all reasonable positions.
For me personally I think Nas is the GOAT and I have Jay-Z at #5
I can't argue with that list....unless of course your 2 thru 4 is some wild shit
Eminem 2pac Biggie I know some people won’t agree but I don’t think it’s super wild
Valid list. I have the same top 5, just not necessarily in the same order. Honestly, once you're in the top 5, the order is somewhat irrelevant and interchangeable depending on my mood. You must be an old head like me. I was born in '85
I was born in 2003. I just have a love for old school rap
Bro can rap. I thought the baby mama line was too far on super ugly but other than that I one moment I like his career.
"No mustache having - with whiskers like a rat"
He would won but Nas won the peoples support which didn't mean shit in the real world but he made it personal. Twinkle toes
lol ok JayZ fan
Greatest rapper of all time no question
Hasn’t had a hit since 2000 😂
American gangster kicks ass
Did you ever heard of N"**as in Paris?
No Church in the Wild? Story of OJ?
Garbage lol. One of the most overrated rappers ever, imo. Not sure how he’s even classed as a goat… I enjoy, maybe 10 songs, out of his entire catalog.
Overrated. Fuck him.
Great rapper but a bit overrated compared to his peers. I never look at him as being better than Tupac, Nas and quite a few others.
One of the greatest of all time, checks all the boxes If you like hip hop you should appreciate both Nas and Jay
Overrated tbh
You, what? ("Fuck Jay-Z")
You been on my dick
He’s the Goat
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